Committee on Education and Labor : U.S. House of Representatives

Press Releases

Chairman Miller Announces Findings of Investigation into Crandall Canyon Mine Tragedy

Thursday, May 8, 2008

 

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today announced the results of his nine-month investigation into the tragedy that claimed nine lives at the Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah. Miller has referred the matter to the U.S. Department of Justice for criminal investigation.

“The findings of this investigation demonstrate that the Crandall Canyon tragedy might have been avoided at several key moments,” said Miller. “They suggest that the mine operator did not act in the interests of the safety of its employees and that the Mine Safety and Health Administration failed these miners and their families.”

Based on the investigative work of the Committee staff and on an expert analysis prepared at the Committee’s request by a geo-engineering consultancy, Miller concluded that:

  • It is likely that the tragedy was the result of a flawed plan for conducting retreat mining in the area of the Crandall Canyon Mine where the deaths occurred.
  • The retreat mining plan should never have been submitted by the mine operator, UtahAmerican Energy, and should never have been approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency with responsibility for mine safety and health.
  • The mine operator may have willfully misled MSHA about information that could have affected MSHA’s decision to approve the retreat mining plans for the section of the mine where the deaths occurred. Nevertheless, had MSHA done its due diligence, it likely should have recognized the flaws in the plan and refused to approve it.

“I didn’t take lightly the decision to make the referral to the Justice Department; I did it in full recognition of the fact that this tragedy cost nine men their lives,” said Miller. “The fact that UtahAmerican Energy may have misled MSHA in no way absolves the agency of its decision to approve the deadly retreat mining plan amendments. MSHA officials must not sit on their hands and wait for mine operators to bring information to them.”

Miller detailed his findings in a memorandum he sent to the other members of the Education and Labor Committee. To read that memorandum and learn more about the investigation, click here.

In January, the House of Representative approved mine safety and health legislation that includes provisions to ensure more vigorous oversight by MSHA of retreat mining plans and activities. For more information on that legislation (H.R. 2768), click here.

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